A Book Review – ‘On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft’ by Stephen King

Genre: Nonfiction, Reference

Number of Pages: 320

Let me be perfectly honest before I start this review. This book was recommended to me by my boyfriend after I told him I was going back to school. Now, I had heard of Stephen King before, obviously, but I had only seen a few of his movies (Carrie, It, 1408, The Green Mile) yet I had never read any of his novels before. (I’m not much of a horror reader) I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when it came to reading this book, but I gave it a shot because so many people had said it was worth the read if you wanted to be a writer. That being said, let me get into the review!

I’m so glad a read this book. Not only for the writing information that King provides, but also for the tidbits about his life, his work, his stories, and the accident in 1999 that almost cost him his life. As someone who didn’t really KNOW Stephen King, I learned so much about him from this book and have come to appreciate him as a person, and a fellow writer. The writing information he provides is wonderful. There were so many tips and tricks and advice that he gives throughout the novel. And I highlighted A LOT in this book. He said so many things that resonated with me as a writer. I’m pretty sure I highlighted over 40 tips that he gave. I will provide just a few of them down below. The reason I didn’t give this book a full 5 stars is only for one reason; I didn’t agree with some of the tips and advice he gave. But I think as writers that is normal. What works for one, may not work for the other.

Here are a few of Stephen King’s tips, tricks, and advice for writers:

• Don’t staple manuscripts; loose pages plus paperclip equal the correct way to submit.
• Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don’t have to make speeches. Just believing is enough.
• If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.
• If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.
• Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life. Take a book with you wherever you go.
• 2nd draft = 1st draft – 10%
• Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy.

And that’s it, Bookworms! I really hope you enjoyed reading this review as much I did writing it. Let me know in the comments: Do you like Stephen King? Do you agree with some of the tips he gives? If you do like him, what is your favorite book, or even movie, of his? I’d love to hear from you!!

Stay tuned for my next post where I will be revealing my favorite YA/Romance tropes ❤

–The Paperback Princess 👑